The daylight murder of a Hindu tailor in Rajasthan’s Udaipur town by two Muslim men on Tuesday is a reprehensible and barbaric act, one that strikes at the heart of a multi-cultural, pluralist society and underlines an intolerant, orthodox impulse that must be stamped out legally, socially and culturally. Initial reports show that the two Muslim men attacked the tailor, Kanhaiya Lal, with sharp weapons (machetes) because the shopkeeper had backed controversial comments made by former Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson
The daylight murder of a Hindu tailor in Rajasthan’s Udaipur town by two Muslim men on Tuesday is a reprehensible and barbaric act, one that strikes at the heart of a multi-cultural, pluralist society and underlines an intolerant, orthodox impulse that must be stamped out legally, socially and culturally. Initial reports show that the two Muslim men attacked the tailor, Kanhaiya Lal, with sharp weapons (machetes) because the shopkeeper had backed controversial comments made by former Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Mohammed. The men videographed their attack and were later seen gloating with their weapons, issuing threats to even Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi. The gruesome murder has ratcheted up tensions in the town, prompting the government to suspend internet services and deploy a large posse of police forces.
There can be no defence of the savage act. No comment, however controversial or offensive, can be used as justification for violence and threatening senior government figures. The two suspects must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law to send a message that such acts of mediaeval brutality cannot be tolerated in any modern society. Moreover, the government, local administration, faith and community leaders, and civil society members must work in tandem to ensure that no impressionable mind is led astray or falls prey to these crude attempts at inflaming communal passions, and that relations between communities don’t fray due to this heinous crime. The local administration moved quickly to arrest the two men, but it must answer why no action was taken when Lal complained that he had received specific threats. It should also ensure that no further conflagrations are permitted and any communal repercussions of the murder are contained.
Moments such as this define a nation’s journey. The murder, the misguided attempt at sowing seeds of discord in society and the blind allegiance to dogma and violence serve no religion, society or country. This fog of poisonous orthodoxy needs the sunlight of tolerance and mutual respect to be dispelled. Community and faith leaders must come together to defeat hate and bigotry that have been weaponised for ideological and political reasons, stamp out extremist impulses that tend to provoke disharmony for narrow sectarian goals, and teach younger generations that the edifice of Indian democracy rests on a foundation of respect for every faith and dignity to every citizen. This is how the Republic has endured for seven decades. Anyone trying to distort this project, from any side, must be stopped at all costs.
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